Looking Out from Lockdown

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS EASTER WEEKEND 2021

Looking Out From Lockdown is an Island-wide project celebrating the creativity and projects of Island people during lockdown, both in 2020 and again now in 2021.

In collaboration with Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight Susie Sheldon, local arts for wellbeing charity Independent Arts is offering people the chance to exhibit their lockdown creations, be it painting, poetry, music, speech, pottery, writing, crafts, projects, inventions, baking, gardening or anything else creative done during lockdown.

The Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Susie Sheldon says,

"This is an exciting project that should give everyone an incentive to concentrate their talents for a purpose. In these difficult times we all need a purpose to keep us motivated. Everyone has the ability to be creative in different ways and I am really excited at the prospect of seeing all the works, ideas, inventions, thoughts etc that have come out of the time Islanders have spent in Lockdown both in 2020 and again now. Let this be something really good that comes out of the difficult times we are all going through."

The online gallery will be an expansion of the Festival of Islesolation Independent Arts created during the first lockdown in 2020, which was funded by Arts Council England.

Everyone is urged to get creative and submit their projects to fill the gallery with their thoughts, visions and reflections in any art form, plus the story behind them. The website will become a “time capsule” for the community to admire in years to come when reflecting on our experiences during the pandemic.

Lisa Gagliani MBE, Chief Executive of Independent Arts says,

“When we heard about this idea, we knew it was perfect to add to our existing Islesolation Gallery developed in lockdown one – with this new impetus, we hope many more Islanders will find inspiration to have a go and submit something, as we know just how valuable making, doing and displaying one’s creativity can be at a time of stress.”

The plan is to hold physical exhibitions after restrictions end, so please save those creations that can’t be exhibited online.

For contributors who are unable to photograph and submit work online to the website, there will be the option to use drop-off points, where creations can be photographed and submitted on your behalf and returned.

Charities, radio, local papers, schools, care homes, businesses, the Hospice, clubs and organisations and events during 2021 are all encouraged to get involved in this project and give people the motivation to get creative. Individual exhibitions of Looking Out From Lockdown could be held around the island, once restrictions eases.

Mayor of Ryde, Cllr Michael Lilley:

“Looking out from Lockdown is a great project idea as it provides a message of hope and an outlet for voices and creativity of all our Island residents from their homes during lockdown. We need our community to stay safe but not silent and this provides an outlet to share our thoughts for the future and the fantastic imaginations within our community”.

To find out how to get involved, head to Independent Arts online gallery:

Looking Out From Lockdown